Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is updating names for certain voice options for Gemini-powered Assistant on Google Nest and Home smart devices.
- Some of these names are now simpler and easier to recall.
- These changes do not reflect Google’s plans to fix the ongoing reliability issues with Google Assistant on Home-affiliated smart devices.
Google Assistant on Nest and other Google Home devices has been a mess lately, displaying a steadily declining perception of voice commands. While Google has acknowledged the issue and promised to fix it, a true update may not be coming until Gemini entirely replaces Assistant on Nest and other Google Home smart speakers. Unlike Android phones, the transition is still non-mandatory and available as an experimental feature, limited to only specific regions.
However, for those who have already switched — or are planning — to Gemini on their smart speakers, Google is making it easier to choose the right voice. It recently changed the names of some of its Gemini-powered voices available on Nest devices. 9to5Google spotted this change and noted that the new names are now simpler and easier to perceive. A total of six out of ten have been renamed.
While the names are still inspired by fauna, many of them now use more household names. For instance, Aloe is now Bloom, Verbena is now Magnolia, Ivy is now Violet, and so on. 9to5Google also notes that all of the renamed voices remain unchanged. But Fern, which hasn’t been renamed, now features a warm tone instead of the bright tone it had previously.
Notably, not all of the newer names are easier to read or interpret. Take, for example, Jade is now Pothos, Eucalyptus is now called Calathea, and Pilea is now Amarylis.
I’m neither an expert phonologist nor a botanist to say if, or why, these newer names make more sense. Google might have an explanation when it makes Gemini the default virtual assistant on Nest-branded and other Home-compatible smart devices. But if you know, make sure to tell me in the comments below.
While I’d be happy to be enlightened, I would truly be pleased if Google focused its energy on fixing the hot mess that Assistant is on Home devices, especially since it affects a broader base of users compared to those who have access to Gemini-powered voices on their smart speakers.
The changes were made a few weeks after Google started adding three new voices to the Gemini-powered Nest speaker. However, this does not confirm anything about Google’s plans to make Gemini accessible to users in more locations or to fix issues with Google Home for others, as it has promised.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.
